Essay about America Needs Prayer in Public Schools

Essay about America Needs Prayer in Public Schools

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Not so long ago, a typical school day would begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer. Today, a simple prayer is considered offensive and unconstitutional. A prayer is meant to be a conversation with God; a personal connection to a sovereign being of choice. I personally believe that prayer is beneficial. Prayer calms my mind and gives me the chance to thank God for all of his blessings. Granted, not everyone believes in the same God that I do. I believe most people would probably agree that there is some form of higher power that everyone has to answer to. One of the things that I love about being an American, are the freedoms that I have. I am free to worship the God I choose and to pray at anytime or any place that I choose. Children should be afforded those same rights and privileges that mean so much to me, and I believe that children need to learn tolerance and respect for others opinions and beliefs. I do not, however, believe that prayer should be forced upon any individual, whether they are a child or an adult. The topic of prayer in schools has been widely debated and is a very sensitive subject in the United States. I am for prayer in schools and I believe that there has been a moral decline in our nation since prayers were proclaimed to be unconstitutional.
The great debate over prayer in schools began in the late 1950’s in the state of New York. The New York Board of Regents created the Regents’ Prayer, and students in the New Hyde Park School District recited the prayer every morning before class. “Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country” (Haas 7). Although the prayer was not required, most children would bow their...

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...ight to have different opinions. Children are the future of our country and their rights cannot
be ignored. In conclusion, prayer in schools should not be considered unconstitutional. Prayer should not be forced on anyone but everyone should have the right to pray.

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